Folding receptacle.



1,. HIGGINS. FOLDING HECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 6,19l6. RENEWED JUNE 6, IQIB.

PatentedSe t. 3,1918.- 19g? i955? 2 SHEETSJSHEET I.

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romin'e RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent. i

Patented Sept, 3, 1918.

Application inea June e, 1916. serial No. 101,977. Renewed June c, 191e. semi No. 'aoa To all whom it may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, JOSEPH HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Collbran, in the county of Dekalb and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Recep* tacles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in foldable or collapsible'receptacles or crates, and has for one of its objects to improve the construction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of this character.

lith this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims; and in the drawings illustra- -tive of the preferred embodiment of the inventionj Figure 1. is a side elevation of the 1mproved device in open or operative position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation with parts arranged as shown in Fig. l;

i Fig. 4 is an end elevation withtheparts arranged as shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a transverse elevation on the line 5-5 of Fig. cP;

VFig. 6 is a detail view. illustrating the manner of holding the yieldable locking member in open or detached position;

Fig 7 is a transverse section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illustratinc' a modification in the construction. j

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following' description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved device comprises a bottom member 10, lower side members 11-12 rigidly connected to the bottom 10 and end platos 13-14, the latter terminating a short distance above the upper .line of the rigid lower side members ll-lQ and extending at their lower ends below the lower line ot the bottom l0 with their lower ends directed inwardly to form cleats or supports l5-16, the latter being spaced away from the bottom 10, as shown.

Hingedly united at 17 to the upper edge of the lower rigid side member 11 is an upper side member 18, while a similar upper side member 19 is hingedly united at 2O to the upper edge of the lower rigid side member 12, the members ILS-19 being thus foldable inwardly into transverse alinement with each other, as shown in Fig. 7.

Mounted upon the bottom member 10 at its ends and next to the plates l314 are spacer members QL-QQ, and pivoted at 2 3-*23 Vbetween the stationary side members ll-12 are end members 2li-25 which bear against the inner faces ot' the plates 13-14- when. in vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, the end members being thus foldable inwardlyinto parallel relation to the bottom l0 and in alinement with each other, as shown in Fig. 3. It required a division member' or partition 26 may be employed and pivoted at E27 between the members 1]. 12 and oldable upon the bottom 10 when the receptacle is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 3. The pivots Q3-23 and 27 are preferably rods extending` entirely through the members 11-12 and likewise through the .end members 24525 and the division member 26. .Y

The top member of the receptacle is represented at 28 and bears upon the upper edges of the members 2li, 25 and` 9,6 and likewise upon the upper edges of the upper side members 13 19, as shown in Figs. l and 2, when the receptacle is in open position. The

members 24, 25 and 27 are provided respectively with dowel pins 29, 30 and 3l, as shown in Fig. l, to enter suitable sockets in the to'p member 28, and hold the latter from lateral displacement.

Then the receptacle is collapsed the top V2S is disposed beneath the bottom l() and supported at the ends by the inwardly divrected cleat members .1G-17, as shown in Figs. 3, 7 and S.

Mounted upon the ends 24E-25 are bearings 32 arranged in pairs spaced apart, and

mounted for rotation through each set of the bearings is a rod 33 extending at its outer end beyond the outer walls of the receptacle and directed at right angles to the body of is applied to the rod 33 and operating to maintain the portions Bel-36 yieldably'in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.` By this arrangement it will be obvious that the rod, together with its folding portions 34.-36, operates to hold the members of a crate locked in open position.

. Connected to each of the end members 24-25 is a bearing 38, and mounted to swing ineach of these bearings is a holding loopBQ adapted to engage the loop portion 35-#36 of the rod and hold the members receptacle is produced which may parts M -36 out of engagement with the top and the side members 1S-'19, as shown in Fig. 6, to enable the top to be readily attached or removed. A suitable catch device, represented conventionally at d0, is utilized to hold the members 1S-l9 when in `collapsed position, as shown in Figs 7 and 8. Ey this arrangement it will be obvious that an effectual collapsible or folding crate or be extended for use, as shown in Figs. l, 2, fl and 5, and locked in its open position, or col lapsed, as shown in Fi 3 and 7, to occupy less space for shipment or storage.

In Fig. S a slight modification inthe construction is shown consisting in forming the side members 1l-12 of less height than shown in Figs. l to 7, and arranging the 18-19 to overlap instead of being arranged in transverse alinement. When the' modified structure shown in Fig. S is employed the part 12 will exceed in height the part 11 a distance equal to the thickness of the member 1S, so that the members 18-19 will fold into i close parallel relation, as shown. By this latter arrangement the device occupies less space when folded, and may be employed under certain conditions if required.

The main portions of the device including the bottom, sides, ends and top and the partition 26 will preferably be of wood, while the remaining parts will be of metal of suitable strength, and. preferably galvanized or otherwise protected from corrosion. The

lower stationary side members 11-12 are preferably provided with openings 4:1 to receive the terminals 34 when the end members 2&425 are collapsed or folded, as shown in Fig. 3.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A foldable receptacle comprising a bottom, and lower side and end portions rigidly united, upper end and upper side portions VCopies of thisipatent may be obtained for five cent mounted to fold substantially into parallel relation to the bottom, supporting cleats eX- tending beneath the bottom and spaced therefrom, and a top adapted to engage the sides and ends when in distended position and to 'be supported beneath the bottom by said cleats when the receptaclev is collapsed.

2. A foldable receptacle including a bottom, sides and ends foldable substantially' into parallel relation to the bottom, support ing cleats extending beneath the bottom and spaced therefrom, anda topI adapted to engage the sides and ends when in distended position and to be supported beneath the bottom by said cleats when the receptacle is collapsed.

3. A foldable receptacle including a bottom, sides and ends foldable `substantially into parallell relation to the bottom, supporting plates bearing against the ends and terminating in cleaty devices, and a top adapted to engage the sides and ends when in distended position and to be supported by the cleat portions of` said plates when the receptacle is collapsed.

l. A foldable receptacle including a bot tom, `sides and ends foldable intofparallel relation, a top engaging thesides and ends when distended, and rods mounted for longitudinal rotation upon said ends and each formed with lateral terminals to engage over the outerfacesof the sides and an intermediate loop to engage over the top.

5J A foldable receptacle including a bot# tom, sides and ends foldable into parallel relation, a top engagingthe sides and ends Y when distended, rods mounted for rotation upon said ends and each formed with lateral terminals to engage the sides and a loop to engage the top, and springs operating respectively` to hold said rods yieldably in locked relation to the sides and top.

\ G. A foldable receptacle including a bottom, sides and ends foldable into parallel relation, a top engaging the sides and ends when distended, rods mounted for rotation upon said ends and each formed with lateral terminals to engage the sides and a loop to Aengage the top, springs operating respectively to hold the rods yieldably in locked relation to the sides and top, and means for holding said rod with its terminals and loop disengaged from theV sides and top against the resistance of said springs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

Josnrn Hreerns. [1.8.]

s each, by addressing the'- Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

